A Thousand Times
by Silverwing013
Summary: Running through the scenario a thousand times, minute variations appear. Running through the scenario a thousand times, Yusuke never dashed to his death for the child. Running through the scenario a thousand times, for each and every one of a thousand times, the same hero stands where Yusuke heedlessly hurdled into.
1. Prelude

**A Thousand Times  
>Prelude<strong>

Narrator: And so it all begins. This boy's name is Yusuke. He's 14 years old and is supposed to be the hero of the story…but oddly enough, he's dead.

Author: We all know this story fairly well.

Botan: It's funny, Yusuke…none of us were expecting you to die today; you've thrown us all for a loop. Run someone with your credentials through that scenario a thousand times and they never would've saved a kid like that. No one saw it coming and quite frankly, we haven't prepared a place for you yet.

Author: Yusuke was not supposed to have this story.

Narrator: And so it all begins. This boy's name is Yusuke. He's 14 years old and is supposed to be the hero of the story…but oddly enough, he's not.

**A Thousand Times**  
><em>Running through the scenario a thousand times, minute variations appear. Running through the scenario a thousand times, Yusuke never dashed to his death for the child. Running through the scenario a thousand times, for each and every one of a thousand times, the same hero stands where Yusuke heedlessly hurdled into.<em>


	2. Between Rivals

**A Thousand Times  
>Between Rivals<strong>

Seeing the people beginning to shift to the sides of the street and shopkeepers blocking their doors, he perked up rather than shy away like the rest. It meant it was a chance to catch a street punk by the name of Yusuke Urameshi. A shoplifter, a delinquent with a penchant for a smoke every now and again, an attitude at anyone of true authority, and a mouth not shy to be dirty around complete strangers.

He had once offered Kuwabara a stolen smoke a while back.

It was a weird moment from his rival, but an offer he had vehemently declined.

Noting the hunch of the shoulders and the familiar tones of the currently grumbling voice, Kuwabara brightened. His gang stepped up, surrounding the other boy, as he strode forwards with his shoulders back, standing tall.

"Urameshi," he greeted confidently. Today was the day. Took a while to hunt his rival down since he bailed school early, but the usual streets were where he and his gang found the punk.

"Hey Kuwabara, you're conscious. I'm not used to _that_."

Kuwabara straightened in indignation and for any possible intimidation. Considering it was his so far unbeatable rival, Yusuke Urameshi, intimidation was near impossible to manage. Still, at least he was beating his rival in height. Grabbing Urameshi by the collar, he defended himself. "That was a cheap shot last time and I was only knocked out for a little bit, okay? Now I'm back and I'm going to beat your face up so bad even kittens won't look at you!"

"Hm." His rival leaned forward, a dangerous grin spreading across his face. "Ah. So sorry you caught me on a bad day. It makes me a real jerk."

Startled, Kuwabara jolted back as Urameshi jumped upwards and out of his grasp. No! And with himself free, Urameshi proceeded to wail into him with a crazy ease compared to the past few challenges. Bad day. Kuwabara groaned as he lay in the street.

"You win," he heard Okubo say.

"Don't hurt us," said Kirishima.

Not hearing one of his gang members, Kuwabara sent a single silent praise to Sawamura.

"Ah. I feel better." Well, his rival certainly did sound far more pleased than when Kuwabara first approached him. Trying to move his body, he shifted about just enough to see Urameshi walking away, annoyed to see any tension in his shoulders gone. Even _whistling_ as he walked away. That bastard.

His friends rushed over to him at Urameshi's exit. Sawamura first. Concerned, his second in charge that he tended to rely on opinion more than the other two, spoke up. "Kuwabara. Maybe you should stop picking so many fights with Urameshi, huh?"

Except for that opinion. Kuwabara was certain he would one day beat the other street punk, taking him down some notches for his more delinquent actions, like shoplifting.

"That makes it zero wins and one hundred and fifty-six losses."

He burst up at that, fist up and ready. "NOOO!" Gritting himself, he assured himself. "I almost had him that time." And after he declared it, his body gave up on holding himself up at that moment.

"Kuwabara!"

"I'm okay, I'm okay," he reassured them all quickly. "Just got a bit light headed there. Sat up too fast."

"Okay Kuwabara," Sawamura agreed lightly. "Let's get you up now and patched up before your sister finds out."

He scowled. "She'll know anyway," he grumbled irritated. "Shizuru's good at that." The other guys glanced at each other and shared a chuckle at his expense.

"There's the Kuwabara intuition we all know."

"Shaddup," he defended. It was a weak argument against it all. He took Sawamura and Kirishima's help to get back up. Okubo took the chance to continue the amusement to defuse the situation of him losing, _again_, to his rival.

"Last time she called you out on it when we rounded the block corner."

"Calling you weak," Kirishima recalled and piped in.

He saw Sawamura fight a smile, but it came out anyway. "Then smacked us all over the head, calling us idiots who can't keep you from overdoing himself, then pounded into you."

Kuwabara groaned. "I didn't overdo it today. I just bet she'll know," he groused loudly.

Laughing at him, Kuwabara pulled himself upright again as the other two's grips loosened for a moment. He just knew he was going to hear about getting too excited and rushing in when it should have been obvious his rival was already having a bad day. He winced to himself. Yeah, he definitely would. Knowing his sister's senses, she'd know he'd noticed but still rushed in and spewing challenges.

Somehow, he felt Shizuru had the advantage in her sixth strength compared to him, even if he had an edge on sensing life threatening danger rather than her read on people. With her insistence and spirits coming to him more than her, he had gained a better read on people than most around him, but he still lacked her speedy pin point precision. He'd sense it and react to it, but wouldn't realize the specifics until later.

Urameshi wasn't life threatening, but perhaps he'd be well off to remember not to push it when his rival was having a bad day.

Kuwabara frowned. Seemed that punk had been having those far more often than when he first began challenging him. Today had been the worst yet. Truth be told, he worried every now and then about Urameshi taking a worse turn. Cocky idiot insisted on being solo and doing crap that could get him in real trouble in life already.

"I'll get Urameshi yet."

And he totally saw Sawamura shake his head at him from the corner of his eye.


	3. Rival Rumors

**A Thousand Times  
>Rival Rumors<strong>

"Hey Kuwabara," Kirishima called out the greeting. Spotting his friend with the rest of his gang, Kuwabara jogged through the school gates with a goofy grin. His classmates in the schoolyard were muttering to themselves, but he ignored the rumor mill whispering the 'did you hear' and all the 'guess what happened's traveling around the place. He'd hear the real important stuff he wanted to know from his gang anyway.

"Hey guys," he returned cheerfully.

Sawamura eyed him carefully. "Looks like yesterday never happened," he commented. "Sore?"

"Yeah," Kuwabara admitted easily to his friends. The comment wasn't really a surprise. He had always recovered quicker in a fight. "But nothing Kazuma Kuwabara can't handle!"

"Speaking of yesterday," Okubo segued. "A little boy was injured from a car accident last night outside my work area. Lucked out. Nothing but a few scratches. But a huge crowd formed because Urameshi started beating up a pedestrian."

"What?!" Kuwabara shouted loudly. "How dare Urameshi sink so low to—"

Sawamura laid a hand onto his shoulder and shook his head. "Everyone here is talking about that part, but Okubo was telling us something everyone else either doesn't know or are leaving out."

Kuwabara glanced away, searching around all his classmates and picked up the rest of the rumor mill mutterings. So this is what all had them going this morning.

"He did it on behalf of the little kid," Okubo stated. Kuwabara looked back to Okubo, eyebrows raised. "It was the driver of the car he was giving a beating and screaming at. I don't care for Urameshi much, I don't even think he knew the kid, so he may have just found a good target to yell at, but it was odd to see him seeming to care about the kid."

Kuwabara blinked. "Huh." He took in the information and then puffed up his chest. Way to go Urameshi! There was hope for his rival yet. "This just proves Urameshi is perfect for my rival! He ain't so different from us!"

The three of them all directed disbelieving gazes at him. Maybe Urameshi's approach was far off the mark, but he _did_ make a stand on behalf of an innocent child…right?

"I can still see him walking up, screaming at him, and then putting that punch in the poor guy's face," Okubo said. He shook his head. "I don't know how you still challenge a guy like that Kuwabara."

"How could I not challenge my rival," Kuwabara sent back. "I will defeat Urameshi. He thinks he's a tough punk, but I'll prove him wrong. One on one, I'll beat him fair and square so he can't deny it either. Bastard doesn't even act like he sees me as a rival, but I know the truth. I'm the top punk. And he always rises to my challenges unlike any other punks in the area."

"Yeah, that's true," Kirishima allowed. Kuwabara grinned, knowing it was true. However much Urameshi acted like he was an annoyance, his rival never backed down from him. Always made Kuwabara worth the time, unlike some of the small fry he waved off and ignored completely. "But it still remains true with how the record stands at zero to one hundr—"

"I'll change that!" Kuwabara bellowed, declaring it with a proud fist thrown upwards. And then he went red in embarrassment as he noticed his classmates shying away and muttering on his outburst.

"How about we head to class," Sawamura asked neutrally. Kuwabara nodded in agreement, taking the handed out.

"Yeah, let's get going guys."

With that, he and his gang left the schoolyard, Kuwabara giving apologetic looks to a few of his classmates. Most smiled back but a few also rushed away. He huffed at that, not liking how some of his classmates continued to judge him based off his taller frame and rougher appearance. Shizuru said some people never got past judging people so shallowly and to ignore those idiots.

Which sounded wrong coming out of the mouth of a beautician.

But then again, when did his sister pull her punches with idiots?

For the millionth time he wondered how the hell his cynical sister got enough business to make a living with her blunt words and actions. Maybe she was mellower there, he thought dubiously.


End file.
